and just a picky thing, but that is the Independance Monument in Mexico DF. That road, the Reforma, has a whole series of traffic circles with monuments in each. Truly a grand avenue with out compare north of the border.
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Francisco mentioned both, even if he only showed the CDMX one. He’s got his historical bases covered!
Love the Reforma, and Mexico City in general. Actually, ate at La Vaquita in Durham last night, which is about as close as you can get to quality Mexican street food in the Triangle.
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Fair point. I actually knew about the Franco-Prussian victory but nice to learn a little history too!
(Still better than the defeat monuments that have finally started to be taken down around the South…)
Ok, I’ve steered this far enough off topic now. I’ll 
myself.
Well I ended up spending way more time on this than I intended to, but…
(Followed your color scheme of green for sidewalks, red for new development.)
Why bother connecting Fairview to Whitaker Mill at all? Instead build a little pedestrian mall with architecture that matches some of the older buildings on this stretch, maybe add some loft apartments or condos on the second and third floors to boost the retail on the first. This intersection is planned for fifteen-minute bus service within the next year anyway, so you could probably get some tenants who would consider going car-free. This would also be a really good spot for a small boutique hotel, again assuming you can get guests who are fine with no car.
Edit: I’m really wanting to see this turn into a town square of sorts. A destination more than a pass-through. It has the bones for it. I see what they’re doing in cities like Somerville and get really inspired.
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The 15 minute bus service was supposed to be in in last year.
I agree this needs to be treated as a destination rather then a pass through. I already see it as a destination of sorts. Has some restaurants and a bar. Has a church and a small movie theater. All things I would consider in a destination.
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Here is a more conservative option that retains Fairview as a right-in only from Glenwood. As much as I’d love to see the Walgreens redeveloped for mixed use with public parking, with this plan, that could proceed separately.
(I strongly believe that the a key to making Five Points … work … is getting rid of all parallel parking on Glenwood.)
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Yep, it was postponed due to the driver shortage, but they’ve kind of swept it under the rug since then. I asked about it during the comment period on the FY2023 draft plan. Don’t expect a response, but just wanted them to know that I haven’t forgotten.
And yeah, I already enjoy visiting Five Points, but has so much untapped potential. I really hope NCDOT doesn’t make it too terribly difficult for this intersection to become more than just vehicle throughput.
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It’s an awesome boulevard. Go around Halloween and see all of the giant Alebrijes displayed along its sidewalks for Días de los Muertos
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Wasserman, a Los Angeles-based leader in sports and entertainment marketing, is leaving its office in Kane Realty Corp.'s Captrust tower for a spot in the new Raleigh Iron Works development along Atlantic Avenue. The agency is set to move into its 14,000-square-foot space by fall 2022.
https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2022/04/20/raleigh-development-iron-works-wasserman-tenant.html
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Mid-town cannibalism!
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This was always my favorite as a youngster in the DF, maybe because it was also our metro stop, lol.
Iron Work: Two somewhat large “retail” spaces (not food/bar). 17,625 sf at the North end and 14,660 sf at the South end. Seems like you’d have to have something specific in mind for such large dedicated spaces?
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I wish them the best, but that is A LOT of retail to come online in an area that’s basically sprouted from nothing.
Also, I’m not sure if anyone has driven by lately, but they have completely eliminated anyone from accessing this development by foot. They completely enclosed the sidewalk on the corner of Whitaker and Atlantic with thick guardrails around the whole sidewalk, the lack of foresight is killing me.
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If they don’t have a safe landing at the other side of the corner to send pedestrians to, I don’t think they can legally begin to build out a pedestrian crossing. Hopefully this is only temporary, maybe the city will retrofit the corners of the intersection if private development won’t do it.
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This entire area needs a completely revamped pedestrian experience. East End Market, Bowstring, Loading Dock and Iron Works all need to figure something out that connects them all.
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Even East end Market, they constructed some kind of building at the end of the warehouse, close to Whitaker Mill Rd and last time i drove by, didn’t see a sidewalk there. Sure, they put some landscaping trees but… Will try to get a pic soon.
10’ sidewalks from Wake Forest Rd. to the railroad tracks are part of phase two.
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So much for the progress of sidewalks on progress Ct. missed opportunity.
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